Familiar story of stasis stifles Benítez’s ambitions once again

The Game Daily: the club is going through the motions as it looks to secure targets but there is little hope of getting them

They are as feverish as always; making and fielding calls, seeing what’s out there, working the angles, plotting how a rival club’s move for player X might free player Y. This is the grind of the transfer window and Newcastle United are grinding through it like everybody else, except in one significant regard. “David Blaine would struggle to make any magic from what we’ve got available,” says one person involved in the club’s recruitment process.

This is becoming an old, old story at St James’ Park, one of stasis and uncertainty. A year ago, Rafa Benítez, then leading his side in the Sky Bet Championship, held meetings, identified targets and set up the deals which the manager believed would assure promotion. Nothing happened, no explanations.…

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